A state filled with never ending beauty, grace, wonder, and excitement.
Kentucky has a variety of protected natural attractions including;
The Cumberland Gap
14,000 of its 20,000 plus acres are dedicated as wilderness areas.
Mammoth Caves
The world's longest cave system with more than 365 miles explored.
The Daniel Boone National Forest
Contains 635,000 acres in eastern Kentucky.
Jenny Wiley State Park
Houses 13.5 miles of trails and other wilderness areas.
Natural Bridge State Resort Park
Offers 10 hiking trails which range from one-half mile to seven-and-one-half miles.
Black Mountain
The highest point in Kentucky with an elevation of 4,145 feet above sea level.
Bad Branch Falls State Nature Preserve
A 2,639-acre nature preserve that offers a 60 foot waterfall.
Kentucky is also home to the
"The Most Exciting Two Minutes in Sports"
when thousands gather in Louisville Kentucky for the annual Kentucky Derby
With all of the natural beauty the great state of Kentucky has to offer not only to the people who live here,
but to the thousands of visitors that arrive each year in search of adventure,
one has to wonder about the parts of the state that are not declared state parks and wilderness areas. Are these areas being equally protected or protected at all?
Issues of the Bluegrass
Mining
A major concern affecting our state’s environment is the harmful effects of coal mining and its depletion of vast land acreage.
Kentucky has been the home of hundreds if not thousands of coal mines for generations.
The environmental effects of inappropriate and/or incorrect mining can be devastating.
Issues often associated with mining are erosion, sinkholes, depletion of the soils natural nutrients, loss of plant and animal life,
and possible contamination of groundwater in the areas surrounding the mining location.
Black Water
Black water is defined as water that contains millions of tiny particles of coal.
Black water spills affect the quality of water, marine life, and can destroy the health of the environment.
Landfills
Known as the oldest form of waste management, landfills are still used not only in Kentucky,
but in a variety of place around the world.
Environmental hazards which arise from landfills include,
contamination of surrounding soil and groundwater and production of methane from decaying organic wastes.
Taking protective measures now will not only help Kentucky in the short run,
but will lead to a better future for everyone.
